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"Encouraging and Supporting Women Physicians & Dentists Through Connecting, Inspiring and Equipping."

Women Physicians & Dentists in Christ (WPDC) is an outreach ministry to provide resources for Christian women physicians and dentists to integrate their personal, professional and spiritual lives. We encourage and support Christian women and physicians as we share the unique challenges of our multiple roles. To learn more about our ministry and stay abreast of events, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, the PULSE. And be sure to plan to attend our annual conferences and virtual conferences.

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Our Mission

Women Physicians & Dentists in Christ provides a ministry of true belonging, support and equipping to address the unique challenges of women physicians and dentists desiring to glorify God.

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Our Vision

Women physicians and dentists complete in Christ ministering through medicine.

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Core Values

Biblical Authority  - 2 Tim 3:16, All scripture is inspired

Integrity - Titus 2:7, Colossians 4-6

Authentic Friendships - John 15:12-13, Love one another

Grace-filled Haven - Hebrews 4:16, Grace in time of need, Women physicians complete in Christ, thriving in service

EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

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breaking barriers

This virtual event is free but you must register to receive a Zoom link on the day of the event.

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This monthly e-newsletter from WPDC is designed to encourage women in medicine and dentistry as they face the unique challenges of women in healthcare, serving as a key resource for women in integrating their personal, professional and spiritual lives. Each month, the WPDC Pulse includes a note from the WPDC Chair, information about upcoming events and a short devotional.

COMMISSION MEMBERS

Introducing the WPDC Leadership Team:

Chair
Chair

Sarah Rahkola, MD

Vice Chair
Vice Chair

Nancy Mabe, MD

Secretary/Treasurer
Secretary/Treasurer

Elisa M. Ghezzi, DDS, PhD

Past Chair
Past Chair

Connie Hahn, DO

Commission Member
Commission Member

Holly B. Austin, MD

Commission Member
Commission Member

Andrea Braun, MD, PhD

Commission Member
Commission Member

Mike Chupp, MD, FACS

Commission Member
Commission Member

Urania Davis

Commission Member
Commission Member

Sara Bowen, MD, FAAP

Commission Member
Commission Member

Martha Courtright, MD

Commission Member
Commission Member

Jordan Immel, DMD

Dental Student Representative
Dental Student Representative

Christina Spencer

Commission Member
Commission Member

Marilyn Whitney, MD

Medical Student Representative
Medical Student Representative

Faith Brown

GET INVOLVED WITH WPDC

An annual four-day conference for Women Physicians & Dentists in Christ providing opportunities for fellowship, continuing education, networking and spiritual growth & refreshment. The conference offers This conference offers educational opportunities each year. Online registration and the downloadable form are available using the button below.

GPS Retreats
GPS Retreats

Grasping Power through Surrender (GPS)

If you are interested in having a GPS retreat in your area, get together two or three interested graduate physician colleagues and let us know by emailing us at [email protected]. WPDC will provide the facilitator, support and advertising to bring together 6-8 female physicians for a Thursday-Sunday GPS retreat. Or if you would like to attend a future retreat in a different area, please email us.

Mentoring is a great way to get involved and share what the Lord has taught you, or to learn from those who have gone before you. Through Mentoring relationships, we follow Christ's commission of making disciples!

Marriage Enrichment Weekends
Marriage Enrichment Weekends

A weekend conference provided by CMDA's Marriage Commission specifically for WPDC members and their spouses. Save the date for the next WPDC MEW February 23-25, 2024 in Monterrey, California which will offer an opportunity for participants to grow and nurture their marital relationship. Details TBA.

Would you like to get involved with WPDC by volunteering to be a conference speaker? If you have a topic you would like to present at a future conference, we’d love to hear from you! This link will take you to our speaker paperwork form to complete and email in Word format. We plan in advance, so the deadlines are submission by December 20th for CE talks at the following year’s conference; and January 20th for non-CE talks for the current conference year. Let us know what’s on your heart by completing the form, and we’ll be happy to work with you! 

WPDC Dental Ministries
WPDC Dental Ministries

The treasure we have in WPDC is our relationships with other Christian women professionals who can help us to grow in our faith and support us through our lives and challenges. We value staying connected to one another.

2008 - GHO trip to Cuenca, Ecuador
2011-2018 - GHO trips to House of Hope, Managua, Nicaragua
2019 - GHO trip to Women of Hope, Honduras
2020 - Team trip to House of Hope, Managua, Nicaragua
2023 - WPDC trip with Go International to House of Hope, Managua, Nicaragua

For the last 12 years WPDC has brought mission teams to House of Hope Nicaragua, where we are known in the brothels as ‘angels in white coats’. Unfortunately, our team was denied entry to the country this year, and we will not be able to continue to serve there. Although many of us are very sad and heartbroken over this, we are trusting God to provide new opportunities to serve, in new ways and locations, and we plan to offer several different opportunities including options to teach, to work with other CMDA ministries, and continue to work with GO Intl as they would love to have Healthcare people on every one of their teams Stay tuned, and we hope to present some opportunities in the next several months!

Donations
Donations

WPDC is supported by people like YOU! Donations help us with providing our student scholarships, our conference and venue costs, special programs and mailings, print materials, and all operational costs for our growing ministries.

Contact us to receive the Pulse monthly email newsletter, suggest a topic for a future event, or anything else!

  • By subscribing to Pulse I agree to receive other information/mailings from WPDC (WPDC will never sell or give your information to any third party).
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Our History

In April 1992, Rev. Marti Ensign became the first director of this outreach, which provided resources directed toward women physicians and dentists, conferences to meet their specific needs and a close-knit network to help them share and grow in Christ. In 1993, members of the (newly formed) WIMD Commission attended the American Medical Women's Association meeting, where many expressed an interest in CMDS. In April 1994, the first CMDS/WIMD national convention was held in Philadelphia.

In 2000, Rev. Marti Ensign retired from the leadership of WIMD and Harriet Askew became the new director. She worked on behalf of the ministry from 2000-2002. Since 2002, WIMD has created a monthly e-newsletter that is sent out to thousands of women. With the e-newsletter, WIMD can reach women all over the world and in return receives many responses including prayer requests, needs and useful suggestions.

In 2002, the Commission members realized their desire to personally minister to the women professionals of CMDA, and therefore, the ministry paradigm was restructured. The WIMD Commission hired its first administrative assistant in the fall of 2002 and its first full-time administrator in January 2014. WIMD now has yearly conferences in different regions of the United States to minister to the growing number of women physicians, dentists and medical and dental students.

In 2021, the name was changed to Women Physicians & Dentists in Christ (WPDC) in order to reflect the heart of the organization, Jesus Christ. The mission of this commission has not changed-the ministry continues to be focused on Christian women physicians, dentists and the students in these professions.